Green Eyed Monsters
by Lamby
Summary: They used to be friends and had much in common. Now Blaze has everything Rogue ever wanted including Gambit. But what if the roles could be reversed? AU to X3.
1. 01

They used to be friends, had much in common, from unrequited love to uncontrollable powers. Still times change, and now Blaze has everything Rogue ever wanted, including Gambit. But what if the roles could be reversed? Guest starring Star Trek: Enterprise's Dr Phlox as Genie

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**A/N:** Probably the closest thing you will ever get me to writing a full on movie-verse ROMY, though making no promises! It's all Jukebox's fault anyway, for writing both Rogue and Gambit so well and so inspiringly. So this one's for you, thanks so much for your support for both Corrinth's and my work, and keep up the good work of your own. Flashbacks used below are from the movies (obviously) and from my other works.

**01**

**Prologue**

**Previously…**

The tuneless tinkling of an old piano filled the house in Meridian, Mississippi, like the smell of rotten eggs. Up in her sanctuary, her bedroom, the rosy-cheeked brunette teenager barely registered the so-ordinary sound. Even as her mother's chubby fingers faltered over the scales, innocently boring, the girl named Marie was worlds away. Kneeling barefoot on her bed, her fingers followed the string of pretty beads north over the route she'd planned. No not just a route, a pilgrimage. A journey to find out just who she was…

"An' when are you gonna do this?" David seemed to find the whole idea amusing, smiling crookedly up at Marie from where he lay sprawled on her bed.

I dunno..." Marie answered with a sweet sigh, flopping down on her belly besides him. "After high school, before college…" Glancing over at her boyfriend, she gave a shy smile and quickly dropped her eyes. Would he? Would today be the first time she ever kissed a boy? Her pulse began to race as David itched a little closer. Marie couldn't help it, looked up to meet his eyes. She wanted him to kiss her. But he was so confident, what if she wasn't any good at this? Her mouth suddenly went dry, his eyes were already closed, long dark lashes brushing the soft skin of his cheeks.

His lips were on hers softly, so softly. He tasted sweet, gentle lips exploring hers. Marie could hear her heart pounding as she too closed her eyes. An addictive touch, she wanted more, kissed him back gently at first. Marie thought the flush of energy she felt was her own, her adrenaline maybe. She wasn't thinking about it. She didn't realised anything was wrong, that David's eyes had opened again in pain.

Images, flashes of knowledge that wasn't hers… Marie pulled away from the kiss as she realised David had stopped kissing back. David's body fell backwards and away from her, breath rasped through his chest. Strange veins stood up hideously all over his face and he began to fit, to shake uncontrollably. Panicked, terrified, Marie flung herself away from him and screamed…

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Gently, Rogue reached out to touch Bobby's shoulder with a bare hand. He turned back to her slowly, looking so intently at her she could feel herself beginning to blush. He smiled at her, and his voice was a little husky as he spoke.

"These were my grandmother's." Iceman held out the pair of pale old gloves to her generously. But not once did his intense, ice blue eyes leave hers. Alone together in his room with no one to bother them, there was only one thing he could be thinking. And much as part of her knew it wasn't a good idea, Rogue was thinking exactly the same thing.

"You wont hurt me." Bobby promised, shaking his head a little as if to emphasise his point. He closed the distance between them, stooping slightly to reach her lips. His kiss wasn't gentle as David's had been. It was charged with a need, with energy from having to wait too long to be allowed to kiss her. He pulled back, drawing Rogue to stand on her tiptoes to maintain the contact. The kiss was over sooner than she wanted it to be. But at least he had been right; Bobby was fine.

More than that, Rogue released as she smiled up at him, she had a brief taste of what it was like to be the Iceman. Turning her face slightly away from Bobby, she exhaled a stream of cold air. It frosted delicately in the warmth of the room, making both of them smile as Rogue whispered, "Wow…"

They kissed again; their ardour pushing them beyond what they both knew would be safe. Breath coming quickly, Bobby's arms pulled Rogue closer and she went willingly. Her hands ran over his shoulders as she pressed her lips firmly against his. Bobby's eyes shot open, and weakly he pushed her away. Rogue opened her eyes in panic, but Bobby couldn't even look at her.

"I… I'm sorry…" She stuttered as he gasped for air like a fish out of water, turned sideways and cutting her out. Whatever he'd thought it would feel like, touching Rogue like that, this pain clearly hadn't been it.

"It's okay." He told her stubbornly, Iceman's voice husky now for clearly a different reason. Rogue knew then that it wasn't, it never would be okay. He was afraid to touch her again, so would every man be that ever came into her life… She was cursed…


	2. 02

They used to be friends, had much in common, from unrequited love to uncontrollable powers. Still times change, and now Blaze has everything Rogue ever wanted, including Gambit. But what if the roles could be reversed?

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**A/N:** Flashbacks used in this part of the prologue are from my other works, identified below.

**02**

**Prologue**

**Previously…**

"Hey, Blaze. I'm Bobby, you wanna soda?" So that was why Logan had got four bottles out not three, Bobby realised, he hadn't just been being greedy.

"Thanks," Blaze perched on a stool and accepted the bottle. Anxious to state her claim to Bobby, Rogue introduced herself.

"Hiya, I'm Rogue. How are you feelin'?" She practically draped Bobby's arm around her shoulders, just in case Blaze had any doubt.

"Much better, thank you." Blaze looked confused. In a school as big as this one seemed, how come everyone knew who she was? As if he was telepathic, Bobby tried to make her at ease.

"Don't worry about everyone knowing your name. News travels fast round here, and we've had a few days since you arrived to prepare."

"Prepare for what?" Blaze smiled honestly, almost relaxing for the first time in a long while.

"Well… I guess…" Logan smiled at Bobby's uncertainty, but he could see why the boy was getting flustered. And Rogue for that matter. The newcomer was pretty, with deep brown eyes and auburn hair, button nose, rosebud lips and high cheekbones. And she did have a charming smile. But there was something about her that Logan just couldn't place; something untrustworthy that spooked him. And she smelt of fire, more so even than Pyro had done. Logan had never liked the smell of fire.

(From Dark is the Hour)

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"So, what would happen if Gambit touched you?" He asked quietly, eyes narrow and dark. Rogue met his gaze with slight fear she couldn't place and a flush of excitement.

"Don't. I don't wanna hurt you." Her sweet southern tones barely made a whisper. He ignored her warning, reaching out with a finger to brush a strand of white hair away from her face. Suddenly she could feel her power kick in, drawing Gambit's energy into herself, dragging his power out of him and into her. He gasped involuntarily, but didn't pull away.

"Rogue, you in here? Wolverine said…" Bobby! Rogue pulled away from Gambit and glanced guiltily towards her boyfriend. Iceman glared at the pair, hurt and anger both equally visible in his expression. Without a seconds warning he was across the room and pushing Gambit manfully away from Rogue, slamming him into the wall. Gambit's head slammed against the plaster, Bobby's fist slammed across the other young man's chin. Rogue screamed for Bobby to stop, but he didn't, he couldn't! The door slid open again and Wolverine was on Bobby in a breath, pulling him away and pinning his struggles.

"If you don't want Ilehana's claws sunk into you, you'll leave the Cajun alone. She's not spent so long patchin' him up for you to go knockin' him down Bobby Drake." With a sudden movement Bobby wrenched himself free of Logan's grip and headed out the door. Rogue instinctively ran after him, calling his name.

"I thought I could trust you, Rogue!" He turned slowly to face her. "But it looks like I was wrong! Its over, just…stay away from me…" He stalked off like a wounded tiger, crestfallen and broken hearted. Rogue choked back a sob as a strong hand rested on her shoulder, supporting her. Thinking it was Logan; she turned to bury her tearful face in his chest.

"It okay chere," A soft voice, definitely not Wolverine's, comforted her. "There be plenty more rats in the swamp…" Embarrassed by her mistake, Rogue pulled sharply away from Gambit, and ran sobbing down the corridor…

(From Dark Elements)

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"Je suis vraiment désolé…" Blaze, Laura apologised sincerely whilst avoiding Remy's eyes. French seemed so much more suitable than English, how they'd conducted their first conversations so many years ago. "Je n'avias pas l'intention de…"

"Don't apologise Laura." There was so much feeling in his tone that he forced her to look at him. The second their eyes met, Blaze felt her breath dragged out of her. Was this how it was to end? Friendship destroyed by the clumsy words of their own daughter?

"But I…" She tried to speak again and so quickly ran out of words. Seventeen years and now she ran out of things to say, of clever replies, easy dismissals, and sharp responses to cover how she felt, to protect the man she loved and was so afraid to lose. The first cut is the deepest, and Gambit was scarred beyond belief even before Blaze had met him. She knew with death-like certainty he could not return her feelings.

"Shush." Remy told her gently, steeling himself to move closer to her, take her shivering hand in his, drink in her deep brown eyes as if for the last time under the cruel starlight. "Don't try an' explain. Don't try an' do anythin'." What now, he thought, stalling for time. Seventeen years and he'd never prepared himself for this night. Sure, they slept together, but it was an infrequent and almost distant affair. Never in so many years had they woken the following morning besides each other as a couple might. Never would they admit how much each had transformed the other. Why? Fear? If so, of what? Men like the deceased Alessandro Jacobi who would try to use their feelings as weapons against them? It had driven them apart when they were so close to a mysterious truth before. But what of now, tonight? What was he afraid of?

Blaze's eyes dropped to the floor and she withdrew her hand from his grasp with practiced ease. Give Remy a second; he'd come up with some reason for him to be leaving. Let him go and she'd never see him again, but what else could she ever do? Become so bitter she'd do anything to destroy him and any girl who ever got close to him again? She wouldn't be the first, second or third to try it. But after a few moments that lasted as long as the earth he was still stood there. So close, almost close enough to hear his heart beating, almost close enough for her to begin to hope… But she couldn't allow herself that luxury.

"If you're leaving, then go." She stuttered, through her mutation always so emotional and now so near to breaking down. "I won't blame you, you owe me nothing. You were always going to find this out sometime, that I love you."

"Chere…" He started, longing that she'd look at him. "Laura, Gambit know for ten years… L'amour pas par degré…" She glanced up as he quoted the words she'd used almost as a weapon against his ex-fiancée Belladonna. Love not by degree. He held her eyes again, captivated her like a frightened deer facing the headlights alone. "But you left then and Gambit never got a chance to reply. All these years since, you bin so hurt I'se thought there nothin' left for me."

"Now you know why." Laura whispered, not able to breathe in the closeness of the night, the nearness of his body, the longing for his kiss.

"Now I know." He echoed in a heartfelt whisper of his own, lowering his lips to hers as she reacted and tilted her head to the stars, eyelashes brushing her cheek, hair so soft to his touch. In the second before his lips brushed hers he admitted so softly "I love you too."

And they understood, for the first time, what was meant to be between them. Falling in love was just part of the plan. A kiss so tender passed between them they half wondered why this had taken them so long. But then all thoughts were lost as his hands stroked her spine and hair, her long elegant fingers found their way to run over the back of his neck. Gasping breath clouded the cold air, ribbons of ardent fire wrapped around both their bodies like ancient magic, demanding they both surrender…

(From Belonging)


	3. 03

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**03**

How long had it been, since she first crossed the threshold of this manor house, this extraordinary building? Fifteen years perhaps? Rogue didn't know, brushing her white streaks of hair back out of her face, weaving out of the way of a rabble of children as they ran past, giddy and so very, very young. Casually she ordered them to bed, knowing they'd probably ignore her anyway. She hadn't been here all that time, feeling trapped and unsure she'd left to travel, as she'd dreamt of doing all those long years ago. Before she'd found out she was a mutant, cursed, unable to touch another human soul for the rest of her life.

She'd come back eventually, rescued by the X-Men from under the threatening forepaw of Sabretooth. And she'd been welcomed into the fold again with open arms. The awe she felt, the great surprise and wonder that even after all these years since they had first broken up, Bobby Drake still professed that he loved her. Their getting back together was as natural as the progression from winter to spring. At the same time she could sense it like a ribbon of discord between them, that his love of her had stopped him having the wife and family the caring, gentle man deserved. When he'd finally proposed marriage not so long ago, it had been too easy for Rogue to deflect it as a bad joke. Too easy to break Iceman's heart…

Now he spent more time away from the mansion on missions than he ever had. Always the first to volunteer for games of espionage, for recruitment, for anything that got him away from Rogue, even for a short while. It broke her heart too, every time she saw him leave she screamed inside. But she would not see him cursed with her powers, bad enough one of them had to live life untouched. So it was she'd a moment ago seen him depart again, leaving for Alabama and a mutant child holding a town pretty much hostage. It may be a while before he made it back.

The TV was on in the rec. room, buzzing away to itself. But the room's occupants weren't watching it, too caught up in their own little world. A scrappy-looking terrier dog lay flat out on the floor, eyes watching Rogue balefully as she entered. Rogue knew she was intruding but she was needy for whatever company she could get. Scruffy the dog sighed once, rolled onto his back and silently begged his master to tickle his belly.

Gambit did as the dog wanted, lying on the sofa in jeans and t-shirt looking as relaxed and handsome as ever. Rogue wasn't sure why the sight of him playing with a dog was so funny, it just was as she smirked at her friend and dropped into a chair. Scruffy, as always a bundle of hairy energy, was suddenly back on his paws and trotting over to sniff the newcomer. Without a word Gambit waved the dog away nonchalantly, returning Rogue's smile with a grin of his own. A jet-lagged grin as he'd only returned from Europe that morning. Almost complacently his free hand drifted to the soft skin of the woman sleeping with her head on his chest, brushed her long red curls back from her face, enjoying her warmth as she snuggled against him. Her left hand clutched loosely at his black t-shirt, the rings she now wore glinting like flames in the low lamplight.

"So," Rogue broke the silence softly, not wanting to wake Blaze. "Must've bin a pretty eventful trip to Europe, Swamp Rat? How much you had to drink before this all happened?"

"Huh." Gambit snorted, rolling his eyes, voice equally quiet. "Not enough Cherie, that for sure…"

"So what, you actually propose? Or Blaze an' Raven just bully you into it?"

"Yeah, I'se bullied by a eleven-year-old…" Remy retorted sardonically, but couldn't hide the pride in his red-on-black eyes as he talked about his daughter. Rogue stifled a laugh. She liked Raven, little Jessica, a lot and didn't know anybody who didn't. Blaze and Gambit's daughter, the redheaded fire elemental had given Jess up for adoption when she was only three months old, feeling she wasn't able to keep her own child safe. For ten years Blaze had kept her daughter's existence secret from Gambit and the rest of the X-Men. It seemed now though, after the death of Jessie's adoptive parents and Blaze and Gambit's subsequent re-adoption of their child, that all manner of evils could be forgiven. At least they could if your name was Laura. Internally Marie glowered, recoiling as the dainty redheaded woman sighed in her sleep. It just wasn't fair… But she kept her feelings well hidden as she spoke to Gambit again.

"'Fess up Remy, you get down on one knee or what?" Rogue dug shamelessly, scratching Jessie's dog behind the ears with her gloved hand.

"Gambit don't kneel for nobody." The Cajun ex-thief quipped, his fingers stroking Blaze's bare shoulder, skin on skin. He only had eyes for his new wife but he gave Rogue as straight an answer as anyone would ever get out of him. "It one t'ing fightin' Magneto or Mystique, but I tell you Rogue I ain't never bin so scared as when I pass her that box with the ring in…"

"Where, when, how long was you engaged for?" Rogue pestered, coming over all girly and emotional. "Why didn't you come back home to tie the knot, you ashamed of us or somethin'?"

"Paris, Eiffel Tower, sunset, t'ree weeks, an' we kinda forgot, okay Cherie?" Gambit answered with a smile, meeting Rogue's eyes. "Hey if I knew you miss me dis much, I come back sooner…"

Rogue hated it when he looked at her like that, like he could read her soul, felt her heart almost stop under his gaze. Like magic the beautiful woman in his arms stirred into hazy wakefulness at his harmless flirting, Blaze accosting her best friend with a small "Oi!" in her sweet English accent.

"You got me on radar or somethin' Petite? A bloke not get away with nothin' round here no more…" Gambit offered gently, smiling as Blaze looked him in the eye and yawned sleepily.

"What kind of American uses the word 'bloke'?" Blaze teased, rubbing the sleep from her brown eyes and sitting back on her heels. Gambit caught one of her hands in his and kissed it charmingly.

"One hitched to an English fille, non? You still tired Laura, or you ready for bed?"

"I ain't got a clue how you put up with him." Rogue commented lightly as Blaze smiled, blushing like a schoolgirl.

"Practice." Laura answered succinctly, getting to her feet, followed by Gambit. "Good night Rogue."

"'Night." The Southern belle offered, jealously watching her friends leaving the room. Did Blaze have the slightest idea how lucky she was? With her perfect little ready-made family right down to the pet dog. A daughter of her very own, a child that looked up to her, to tuck in bed and kiss goodnight. And a man who not only loved her, but could show her every facet of the word… It just wasn't fair! How come Blaze got to have all of that and she didn't? What had Rogue done wrong? What made Blaze so much better than her? Impulsively Marie sobbed; putting a trembling gloved hand to cover her mouth, and wondered if there would ever be an end to the loneliness that devoured her…


	4. 04

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven. Golan belongs to Star and is used with permission.

**04**

The next day dawned bright and cheerful, summer's last stand before the new term began at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. Rogue rose late feeling numb and detached. She went through the motions of getting up and dressed, pulling on her gloves for yet another day without paying any attention. Distractedly she made herself tea and then aimlessly wandered outside to drink it. It was as though without realising it she was searching for solitude, hollowness eating at her. Why after more than fifteen years of this mutant power was it suddenly becoming so cripplingly hard to bear?

But the solitude she searched for eluded her out in the morning sunshine, her inner tumult silenced by a cheery "Morning!" from the figure sat on the low stonewall in front of the house. Blaze too was drinking tea, long hair playing in the breeze as she beckoned Rogue to come join her.

"You recovered from you flight yet, Hon?" Rogue asked politely, making her fellow X-Man smile.

"I think it'll take a few days. I'm not as young as I used to be…" Blaze answered, looking back over the lush gardens, her eyes resting gently on the small group playing with a Frisbee just out of earshot. Scruffy was bounding about with contagious energy, an infection it seemed he had passed on to Gambit and Raven. Blaze shook her head slowly in wonderment. "Though apparently I'm the only one feeling a little hazy. Maybe if I'm lucky they'll wear each other out…"

Rogue said nothing, watching the red-headed eleven-year-old Raven laugh as Gambit tormented Scruffy good-naturedly with the toy, offering it then snatching it away as the dog barked. He almost caught Raven out too, a swift backwards lob making her squeak as she raced to jump for the Frisbee. Jessica leaped with the dog to catch it, only to screech as she was swept up by her dad's hug and twirled around in the air. Rogue sighed heavily, heavier than she'd meant to, and Blaze wasn't slow to pick up on it.

"What's wrong Rogue? Why so glum?"

"I'm not…" Rogue started defensively, but Blaze's sceptical raised eyebrow cut her off short. "Its… hard, y'know? Everyone's kinda settlin' down, not jus' you, but Scott an' Jean with Duncan, Logan an' Storm got Hana…" Rogue dropped her eyes, aware she was whining.

"You've got Bobby." Blaze pointed out softly, but it only shifted Rogue's mood from depressed to suddenly angry and defensive.

"No I don't." She snapped, "Every time he leaves I'm sure he ain't comin' back…"

"Rogue…" Blaze tried to butt in but Marie was having none of it.

"An' if he did, I won't blame him. Don't you see? I'm a curse, with my powers. I shouldn't be with nobody. I hate it!"

"Your powers are part of you," The woman who'd spent years denying her own spoke the truth calmly, "You can't…"

"Don't tell me what I can an' can't do!" Rogue snapped, "You don't know, you can't understand what this is doin' to me!" And with that she stood abruptly, not caring that she knocked her teacup to shatter on flags. Gambit glanced over at the shouting, Jessica's red-on-black eyes matching her dad's concern. Blaze glanced at her family, as Rogue stormed back inside. But the fire elemental didn't get chance to say anything as a familiar telepathic voice resounded through the minds of the X-Men with differential concern.

#X-Men to the briefing room, # Jean instructed, #We have a mission. #

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The briefing room was a jovial space. The other X-Men seemed inspired by the newlyweds' return. Even grouchy old Logan was grinning for no apparent reason, letting Gambit get away with a quick succession of little digs that had Blaze and Jubilee stifling giggles. Also present were the mansion's established old marrieds, Scott and Jean. Kitty, Kurt, the earth-mutant named simply Golan, and Ororo took their places chatting, leaving Rogue the last one standing. Scott didn't wait for her to be seated, forcing her to drop into the nearest vacant chair as he addressed the team.

"His name's Genie," Cyclops began officially, flashing up a 3-D portrait of the man in question in the air above the centre of the table. Beady black eyes twinkled at some hidden joke over a wide, grinning thin mouth. Fluffy greying hair stuck out mad-professor style from behind each ear, though his hairline was receding. He certainly didn't look much like a genie to Rogue. "We've had an eye on him for a while. He's been recruiting mutants for various criminal activities, promising to grant a single wish in return."

"Is this some kinda joke?" Wolverine asked dubiously as besides him Kitty leant forward on her elbows. "Grantin' wishes?"

"A girl he recruited in Kentucky asked to be a work of art." Scott changed the image, bringing up a picture of a teenager clutching the sides of her face with both hands as if in agony, mouth gaping in horror. "She only wanted to be beautiful. Genie has got her thinking she's the figure in 'The Scream'."

"He's a telepath, an illusionist," Jean filled in decisively, the Guardian of Thought knowing what she was talking about. Rogue was uncomfortably aware of Scott putting his hand over Jean's on the tabletop as the redhead continued. "But not a strong one if you're aware of what he's trying to do. It shouldn't take more than two X-Men to take him down a peg."

"Jean and I are going to Kentucky to see the girl. With any luck Jean should be able to help." Cyclops smiled at his wife who nodded smugly in reply, confident now in her own abilities. "Gambit," Scott looked to his teammate, "If you're feeling up to it this might be a good mission for you to get warmed up on again."

"No problem." Gambit nodded, shuffling a pack of cards easily in his hands before glancing to Blaze at his side, "Wanna come along Petite?"

"I've just spent all summer jetting around Europe with you and Jess." Blaze replied regretfully, "Now I've a week until term starts and I've not done a shred of lesson planning. I'm sorry Rem, I'm going to have to pass." She smiled a little as Gambit squeezed her shoulders sympathetically, knowing that Blaze took her teaching at the school at least as seriously as her X-Man status. Rogue bit her tongue as she watched them, the unfairness of it all too clear. She missed whatever it was Cyclops said next, though it seemed everyone was now waiting on her answer.

"Sorry what was that Sugah? Wasn't listenin'…" Rogue shook her head apologetically. Scott looked at her oddly before repeating himself.

"I said, looks like you're up then Rogue." Cyclops turned back to Gambit, effectively giving the Cajun command over Rogue. She folded her arms, scowling. Bad enough she was filling in for Blaze in the first place… "Take the Falcon, the coordinates of Genie's last known whereabouts have already been transferred from Cerebro to the jet's computer." Scott pushed back his chair, a sign that they were dismissed, the others all starting to leave.

"Maybe while you're at it you can wish yourself back single again, hey Gumbo?" Logan retorted with a grin, "I mean, what were you drinkin'?"

"What it with you folks all thinkin' I was drunk?" Gambit laughed, arm round Blaze's slender waist. "I ain't done nothin' to deserve dis!"

"Wanna bet?" Logan pressed his friend, who for once turned down the challenge with a single shake of his head, whilst Blaze chipped in exasperatedly with, "You're such a mate Wolverine, seriously…"

"Just doin' my duty." Logan smiled and left. Blaze kissed Gambit good luck before turning to a waiting Rogue. "Take care of him for me, okay Rogue? And good luck."

"No problem." Rogue forced a smile, not that Blaze noticed as she left to carry on her playful arguing with Logan.

"So," Gambit grinned at Rogue easily, "Who gets to fly the jet?"


	5. 05

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven. Ilehana Xavier gets a brief mention in this chapter, and she belongs as always to Corrinth, my wonderful co-conspirator in all things X-Men.

**A/N: **Please review? It would mean so much to me! Not that I'm begging or anything here folks...

**05**

A few hours to go before sunset, the two X-Men were still pounding the grey streets of Cincinnati with grim resolution. Genie wasn't where Cerebro had told them, so they were looking the old fashioned way despite it seeming they'd both be in their graves before they found him. And as time dragged on ad infinitum, it was becoming more and more likely that they were going to put each other there.

All day Gambit had been trying to think of something to cheer Rogue up, tried to make her laugh. It just wasn't natural, a beautiful woman like her being so down. But she wasn't having any of it. Her retorts right back in his face were becoming sharper and more insulting every time he opened his mouth. He could put up with her insulting him but when she started insulting Blaze, Remy forcefully bit his tongue rather than snap right back.

"Well, it ain't as if you both aren't as cheap as each other anyway…" Rogue muttered on bitterly, brushing her hair back out of her eyes, trying to have the last say in their rather one-sided argument. "Can't remember the last time Blaze had a guy she didn't cheat on, but then you're just as bad, so…"

That did it. Gambit, normally so suave and placid, turned on Rogue with viciousness the feral Wolverine would have been proud of.

"You don't know nothin', Rogue! Not 'bout Laura, not 'bout me, an' not 'bout where we bin, why we like we was!"

"I'm only sayin' you deserve each other." Rogue tried to deflect his anger, failing miserably as his eyes narrowed at the hidden sarcasm in her voice.

"You sayin' it jus' a matter of time before one of us goes behind the other's back! That all you t'ink we worth?"

"Gambit…" Rogue pleaded shallowly, trying to appease him with the small pout that usually brought Iceman to his knees. "I don't mean it Sugah…"

"Like hell you don't." He wasn't shouting, at least that was an improvement. Rogue felt her embittered confidence rising again as she stalked after him down a narrow alley, not caring where he thought this particular shortcut was taking them.

"So tell me Remy, why's it so different this time?" Her tone rich with sarcasm, her eyes twisted and cold as Remy turned back to face her. Why wouldn't she just shut up? But Rogue was on a roll. All the sourness, all the jealously she'd been storing up suddenly found the audience it had been waiting for. Let Gambit take the brunt of this, it had all been his fault! Gambit's fault she'd broken up with Bobby way back when they were little more than kids! His fault she'd left university and the X-Men, his advice she'd taken because it was the easy way out! His fault that now she found life had passed her by with no cure, no way of controlling her powers! Maybe if she'd stayed with the X-Men they could have done something, anything, but because of him she was still cursed! This day had been brewing and Gambit had it coming.

"Why is it now you and that cheap slut Blaze get your damn acts together? Hell knows how long you two bin drivin' each other round the bend! But now you're both just the perfect parents, right down to walkin' Raven's mongrel! I never got why that judge thought you two should have Jess back, y'know? Everybody knows you're a scumbag sleaze-ball with all the self-control of a bitch on heat! You're a liar, a thief, a cheat an' a coward! You don't have the right to have it all your own way. Don't you realise everyone's just holdin' their breath 'til you or Blaze screws this up! An' then the X-Men gotta pick up the pieces, while you two rip each other an' Jess apart!"

Rogue stopped screaming, gasping for air with the coolness of the day scorching her lungs. Her face had turned a stressed-out red with terrified pinpricks of white on her cheekbones. Shaking, she dropped into an athlete's recovery position with her hands lodged on her knees as her hair streamed past her face, eyes staring at the pavement. Safer than meeting Gambit's expression at any rate…

Gambit didn't even see her, thinking he should have seen this coming. That was all the X-Men thought of him; a major screw up dragging Blaze and now Jessica through the gutter on his way to hell. All nice and cheerful and coy when he and Blaze turned up hitched on the doorstep of the mansion they part-owned, laden with luggage and a giddy eleven-year-old. Behind their backs their so-called-friends were taking bets on how long they'd last… Turning again away from Rogue he clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth, muscles in his neck so tense they hurt. Damn them all, he an' his filles would show 'em!

Chance overtook them as Rogue realised that if Gambit left in the jet without her it would be a long walk home. She stormed after him, yet still wary not to get too close, knowing by his silence her words had cut deep. She was right though, Rogue kept telling herself like a mantra to make her feel better. She was doing him a favour pointing out what all of them knew…

They'd landed the jet on the roof of a neglected apartment building, not far from where Genie had been pinpointed. It was the last place they'd expected to actually run into their quarry, certain that if he had been here he would have run at the first sign of their arrival. But apparently the thought hadn't even crossed his mind as the man from Cyclops' images left his flat to pick up his paper, just as the two X-Men were going back to the roof. What alerted Gambit to trouble, set his mental guards in place just like Ilehana Xavier had long-ago taught him, was that Genie did not even run or feign surprise as he was marched back into his flat by the two black-clad X-Men.

Gambit forced himself to try and remain calm, put his anger at Rogue to one side as he concentrated on his job. He could argue with the X-Men 'til gators grew wings, but hell would freeze over before he'd let a creep like this get away with manipulating young mutants in the same world as his daughter…

Genie was in person rather an interesting-looking, middle-aged gentleman. He certainly didn't come across as a twisted psychopath with a penchant for 'living art'. Broad rather than round, dressed in a red lumberjack shirt, he was constantly smiling and even humming to himself as Rogue and Gambit tried to interrogate him. It got both Rogue and Gambit's hackles up, his chirpiness in the face of their screaming row, his friendly manner throwing them both a little off guard.

"Come my friends," He laughed smoothly, kilting his head to one side like a green-eyed blackbird, voice distinguished yet choppy. "Surely you can see I did exactly what the young lady requested? If she failed to be more specific about her requirements then that is not really, well, my concern to put it frankly."

"Maybe it time you make it your concern, eh Ami?" Gambit replied threateningly, taking a step to tower over the seated man.

"I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement beneficial to all parties, hum?" Genie spoke hurriedly as Rogue removed a glove distractedly. "I can make it worth your while to leave me be…"

"You don't got nothin' we want." Gambit reasoned.

"You're not telling me, my good mutant, that a striking man like you has every, um, well every passion in his life fulfilled? There must be something lacking, something you desire? After all we are only I suppose human?"

"It obvious you ain't met my wife." Gambit stated haughtily, shuffling cards in his hands methodically.

"Very well, very well." Genie staggered to his feet by himself, trying to placate Remy with a cheery wink. "Enough said. But what of you my dear?"

With that he looked straight at Rogue, his bright green eyes boring into her like drill bits. She shuddered, squirming like a fish out of water or a worm on a hook. Rogue stuttered, trying and failing to break the eye contact. Genie knew he was in control and took a curious step towards her, tilting his head this way and that like an ostrich as he waited for her answer. "I…"

"Don't let him get to you Rogue." Gambit warned. Differences they may have but this wasn't playing out by Gambit's rules, and he wouldn't stand for that. Rogue was turning a funny shade of purple, as if trying with all her might not to open her mouth even to breathe for fear of what this telepath might make her say. "Rogue!" Gambit spoke her name intensely, taking the woman by the shoulders. It was the wrong thing to do and Genie smiled craftily as Rogue found she could bite her tongue no longer.

"I wanna be able to touch…" The Southern belle sobbed, white hair catching in the breeze, eyes young and innocent.

"Then say the magic words…" Genie prompted, rubbing his hands together in actual glee.

"I wish I could touch!"


	6. 06

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**06**

Rogue woke with a start, confused. Her hair was in her eyes as she lay warm and safe in bed. She brushed the locks away stubbornly, eyes unfocused as she opened them. What about the mission? Had there even been one?

Slowly she rolled over; only to wallop her head on something sharp that should not have been there. The corner of a bedside table judging by the blurred shape of it as the room swam a little. Hissing her pain she put her fingers to the point of impact, feeling the warm flow of blood. Damn it! There shouldn't have even been anything there to hit her head on! She blinked and her eyes focused.

It wasn't her room, which would on the one hand explain what the mysterious bedside table was doing there. But on the other hand it raised so many urgent questions that Rogue didn't have time to process the one explanation. More then that she knew whose room it was, back home in the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. A very long time ago, before even Rogue had arrived here it had been Jean's. Then later it had become Blaze's refuge, which would now make it Blaze and Gambit's room…

Struggling to comprehend anything she sat up slowly, putting bare feet to the soft carpet and again forcing her wild hair back out of her eyes. That was wrong, her hair wasn't normally so untameable surely? What was she doing here? Absently, still half asleep her warm fingers pulled a strand of hair down in front of her eyes.

It was red. Curly, shimmering autumn gold hair so much longer than it should have been. Gasping Rogue glanced at the back of her hands. At the two gold bands one with a diamond and one plain on her left ring finger… How could this be? Tugging on a dressing gown, Rogue peered cautiously at the full-length mirror in the panel of the big double wardrobe. A stunning petite redhead stared right back at her rather judgementally. Rose lips pouted, big chestnut eyes asked too many questions to which Rogue didn't have the answers. She raised a hand, gasping in surprise as the reflection did the same. She was Blaze…

There was a stirring behind her, making Rogue pirouette unevenly in the strange body. Gambit muttered something that wasn't quite French, obviously not wanting to acknowledge that, like it or not, he was waking up. Stubbornly he dragged the thick red-brown covers over his head, hiding from the daylight that Rogue had just begun to notice creeping in through the thick curtains. The window was open, the breeze cool, and it all seemed real enough…

"Chere? Rogue froze, glancing back at the reflection in the mirror as Gambit detached himself from the covers, put his feet to the floor and stretched laboriously. Girlishly all she could suddenly think was 'Please let him have some clothes on!' Fortunately his dignity and her innocence were preserved as he stood up in a baggy pair of pyjama pants. Unsure Rogue stayed rooted to the spot as Remy stretched again, coming to her side. "You okay Chere? You up very early, non?"

"I…" Rogue started, voice sounding very odd to her ears. Of course Blaze's body, Blaze's English voice… Blaze's husband… Gambit didn't know she wasn't whom she looked like. Neither did he give her chance to try and explain, even if she'd understood it herself.

"You bleedin'." He pointed out concerned, "You bang your head on somethin'?"

"On the table…" Rogue grimaced, Blaze's nose wrinkling in mild despair. Automatically Rogue flinched away sharply as Gambit reached to touch the growing bruise, an instinctive reaction but not the one Gambit thought it was.

"I ain't gonna hurt you Petite…" He muttered, frowning slightly. And he touched her, brushing her hair away from the wound tenderly. Rogue's every instinct was to pull away as she clenched Blaze's jaw and almost stopped breathing with the tension. But nothing bad happened. Gambit didn't gasp with shock and pain as his life force was dragged out of him, his memories, his mutant powers. It was real! She was really touching him!

Sighing warmly Rogue relaxed into Gambit's touch. Effortlessly, intensely he caressed her face, watching her closely as her eyes rolled back with pleasure. Fingering Blaze's slender jaw he raised her chin, his other hand running over her brow to sweep back her hair. He began to kiss her, teasing, pulling away and making her gasp. Rogue couldn't help it, couldn't even think to blame it on the Cajun's infamous charm as she wrapped her arms tightly around Gambit's broad shoulders, pressing Blaze's body against him. Evocatively she began stroking his neck and bare back with her fingers, not knowing how skin could ever feel so soft, lips ever taste so sweet as his. It was too easy to forget it wasn't her body as she gave it passionately to a kiss that dreams were made of…

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Eventually Gambit detached himself, smiling easily. His voice was husky, his breath deep as he whispered, "Now for a cold shower…" As he left, it took all Rogue's effort to stay standing.

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Looking and feeling impossibly smug, Rogue waltzed through the mansion with a spring in her step. She could touch! No need to bundle herself all up in gloves, scarves, long-sleeved shirts! Not that Blaze owned anything that could be persuaded to cover her skin. Rogue, after a fair while routing through Blaze's wardrobe, had resorted to a brown leather, ruffled knee-length skirt, and a cream silken vest. Rogue wasn't sure she'd ever shown as much skin as this, but reasoned that she still wasn't, not really. Mostly she was trying not to think about being in Blaze's body, having Blaze's life. It could be a dream, a wild illusion Genie had gifted her with. It could be anything at all but as she walked around a corner and stood face to face with herself, it all became a little hard to ignore.

Rogue, the other Rogue in her usual cursed body, looked terrible. Haggard, the few fine lines that ran around her eyes were sunken and her skin grey. Her brown hair looked greasy and obviously needing washing. She was all bundled up in multiple layers despite the warm weather, as if she was feeling cold. Meeting her own body's eyes, Rogue understood with crippling certainty what the other woman obviously could not. This had been a straight swap. Everything Rogue had ever wanted was hers. But the cost was Blaze being condemned unaware to Rogue's life… Guilt may have been a sensation this ex-thief's body was used to feeling, but its new occupant didn't like it one bit.

"Comin' through!" A redheaded lightning bolt shrieked, almost running Blaze-as-Rogue down, to throw herself at Rogue-as-Blaze. Rogue couldn't help but laugh as Blaze and Gambit's daughter Raven swung unafraid on her arm, red-on-black eyes sparkling at the woman she thought was her mother.

"You promised! You know you did, you can't back out now or I'll never forgive you!" Jessie demanded whilst at her heels her dog Scruffy bounced. "Mom!"

"Are you talking to me?" Rogue asked, English accent bizarre on her tongue. She had to hear it, just to be sure… Could this be real?

"Der!" Raven exclaimed, "'Course I'm talkin' to you!"

"What did I promise?" Rogue asked eyebrow raised, trying to cover her nerves when suddenly she realised Blaze's memories hadn't come with the body.

"Oh please! You're not tellin' me you don't remember? I didn't think you could forget stuff with that photographic memory thing Mom?"

"Just humour me Sugar." Rogue winced internally a second to late as she saw some vague recognition flit behind the downcast eyes of her body. But it didn't last, Blaze-as-Rogue folding her arms defensively. Blaze didn't know anything, this wasn't doing any harm and it couldn't last forever, could it? Rogue didn't know and resigned to stop thinking…

"You promised," Jessica answered laboriously, still hanging onto Rogue-as-Blaze's hand. "That you were takin' me shopping before term started. Just the two of us. It was the deal with Gam… I mean with Dad…that we didn't buy up Milan."

"I'll see what I can do, alright?" Rogue answered.

"Is that a yes?" Raven challenged, the LA baby's excitement only matched by Rogue's own, as the Southern belle nodded the English head. "Yes, we'll go."

"Now?"

"Now." Rogue hooked her arm through the child's possessively, warm skin on warm skin. Don't think about it Rogue, she commanded herself, just enjoy it.

"Beast!" Jessica exclaimed positively, dragging Rogue towards the door. "Lets go!"

"Jessica?" A small voice suddenly asked and Rogue's heart stopped for a moment as Blaze spoke. Did the English mutant know what was going on? Would she take all this away from Rogue? But there was still no sign of comprehension in the other woman's face. "Jessie?"

"Hi Rogue!" Raven didn't see that anything was wrong, too excited at the prospect of shopping. "Bye Rogue!" With that the real Rogue was hijacked, leaving Blaze in this cold shell, dizzy and nauseous, leaning an arm against the mansion's wall.

"You okay kid?" Wolverine put a resting hand on Blaze's shoulder as she shook Rogue's brunette head softly, feeling woozy. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really." She didn't have anything to talk about, couldn't put her finger on what was wrong.

"Rogue, you…" Logan started, but Blaze was pulling away, not even recognising that the name he called her by wasn't hers. "Jus' leave me be Logan."

"Alright." Wolverine sighed, "I tried."

**A/N:** Blaze-as-Rogue is short for Blaze in Rogue's body; Rogue-as-Blaze is Rogue in Blaze's body. The idea is taken from Robin Hobb's 'Farseer Trilogy', and I've used it in the past to account for the shape used by the animorph Ilehana Xavier (Vixen-as-Wolf etc.) Apologies if it's confusing, but please stick with it! Oh and please review? Thank you so much.


	7. 07

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**07**

"That is so cute!" Rogue-as-Blaze exclaimed, pulling a little pink t-shirt with a cartoon character on the front off a clothes rail. Jessie rolled her eyes not unlike a certain Cajun, took the hanger off Rogue and shoved it back where it had come from.

"How old do you think I am? Six?" Raven questioned righteously. "You let me try on way cooler stuff than that in Europe."

"So what do you suggest?" Rogue retorted. Jessica didn't answer, taking another outfit and flouncing off to the changing rooms. Sighing, Rogue followed.

"Blast!" Came the muttered exclamation from behind the changing room door a short while later. "Stupid powers and stupid little hook-and-eye fasteners. Blaze, I mean Mom, can you get this?"

"Sure." Rogue answered, going into the booth hesitantly. Raven's powers were indeed acting up as she flickered in and out of darkness, her mutant skin infrequently absorbing all the ambient light. Tiny black lightning bolts, the dark energy the light was converted to once absorbed, flashed around her fingers as she lifted her ponytail out of the way. Rogue went to fasten the offending hook-and-eye fasteners on the high collar of the Japanese style dress. Such a simple thing, fastening a button for a little girl. But Rogue relished it, gloveless hands brushing the nape of Jessica's neck. Not only touching but touching the skin of someone who was unafraid, trusting and even loving towards her.

"All done." Rogue smiled, flicking Blaze's long red curls back from her face.

"I love it!" Jess exclaimed, twirling in front of the mirror. "Its so mint! Please, please, please buy it! I have to have this dress!"

"Calm down Sugar." Rogue cautioned, "Don't you think its maybe a little expensive?"

"You can't stand there in the rock goddess skirt you paid three hundred dollars for and tell me that a fifty dollar dress is too much!" Raven was outraged, eyes flashing red. Rogue winced; Blaze had spent three hundred dollars on a skirt? Still at least it wasn't stolen, right? Raven seemed to suddenly remember whom it was she was talking too, bit back on her tongue as she spoke again. "I thought you were saving that for a special occasion anyway?"

"And taking you out shopping isn't occasion enough, Jess?" Rogue smiled Blaze's most appeasing smile. It didn't work; Jessie scowled her most Gambit-like scowl and folded her arms.

"Are you gonna leave me to get changed back again? I am so done with shopping…"

"You are?" Rogue was hurt, a snippet of it encroaching into Blaze's voice. Just to be normal, do something so normal, when every second that went past was a miracle…

"If I can't have the dress, I'm just not interested…" The child pouted, closing the door on Rogue abruptly.

"Guess who Remy and Blaze are spoiling rotten…" Rogue muttered, then realised her error in a flush of blood to her cheeks. Jessica's voice from behind the door made her wince with terror that already she might have given up the best thing that had ever happened to her. But Jessica's reply was not as terrible as Rogue had feared.

"You've been hanging round with Dad too much if you're starting to call yourself Blaze!"

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"Bien day out Cherie?" Gambit grabbed Rogue-as-Blaze's wrist and pulled her to him, his eyes warm and smile charming. They were in the rec. room, Jessie already embroiled in a play fight for the TV remote with some of the other young teens. Rogue hadn't even known Gambit was behind her as she'd entered feeling tired and grouchy. But as Gambit slipped his hand in hers, somehow his touch had Rogue feeling a whole lot better.

"Not really." Rogue shrugged, feeling a blush rising with memories of that morning's stolen kiss. "Me and Jess had a row, you know?"

"Again?" Gambit teased, making Rogue look back at him sharply. She'd never argued with Jessica before… "Hey, don't give Gambit that look Laura, I'se love you both equal an' no amount of fightin' over me gonna change that!" He laughed, kissing her quickly on the lips and making Rogue's head swim. "You let ole Remy take you out, eh Chere? See if I can't cheer you up…"

"Alright." Rogue replied, meeting the Cajun's eyes. She was amazed by the sweet feelings just having him looking so closely at her, holding her bare hand, raised in her. A treacherous thought crossed her mind, bringing a flush to Blaze's cheeks and making Rogue quiver with something not far removed from fear or lust. Could she be falling for him?

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That very evening, as the dark closed in like a tomb around her, Blaze-as-Rogue wandered aimlessly out in the cool air. She just couldn't put her finger on what was wrong. It chewed at her, distracted her but she didn't know what it was. Even if the X-Men hadn't been so sweetly annoying asking her what was up every five minutes, that not knowing the answer was ripping her apart.

Hesitantly she perched on a bench, put her head in her hands and sighed. Why was she so cold? And why had her heart been hurting ever since Raven had so casually dismissed her? Raven shouldn't have been anything overly special to Rogue, the daughter of two friends. So why was it hurting?

Blaze-as-Rogue raised her head, her eyes flicked back to the mansion. To the light spilling seductively from a bedroom window on the staff floor. To two figures silhouetted in the warm yellow lamplight. Blaze bit Rogue's lip and tried to look away. She didn't want to intrude on so private a moment. But nothing was simple, the forbidden so tempting and her eyes focused sharply on the shadows in each other's arms.

The two figures faced each other intently, unaware of the audience from the gardens. Laura watched as Remy leaned in to kiss the woman he thought was his, press his lips to hers, hands exploring the small of her back. In return Rogue flung Blaze's small frame against him. She pushed the Englishwoman's petite body against the Cajun's solid muscular belly and chest, feeling his breath moving inside of him. Blaze's hands under Rogue's command wrapped firmly around Gambit's neck, refusing to let him pull away. Not that he looked like he wanted to as her hands moved to lift the shirt from his back. Breath, kisses and sweet tender touches were shared, the nighttime as soft as the gentleness of skin on bare skin…

Blaze, trapped unaware in Rogue's body and unable to distinguish between the Southern belle and her own self, cried. She cried all night, long past the light in the window finally being extinguished. She cried salty tears until the sun came up, the birds chanting mournfully in the trees as if they knew all innocences had died that night. As Rogue woke still in Blaze's body, still wrapped in the strong arms of Blaze's husband, Blaze herself was outside and sobbing out her agony, though she could not say why.


	8. 08

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven. Golan belongs to Star and is used with permission.

**08**

Rogue-as-Blaze waltzed into the next day's briefing on Gambit's arm, a healthy pink glow to Blaze's cheeks. Her eyes sparkled and she could hardly look away from the Cajun. She was addicted to his smell, his taste and his touch. It was strange sitting in Blaze's usual seat next to Remy, but not so strange that she didn't think she could get used to it.

Scott and Jean were still away, and so it was Storm who cleared her throat as delicately as a spring breeze before she began. Under the table Gambit's fingers entwined with Rogue-as-Blaze's, and somehow Rogue knew his mind was still on last night's encounter and not on today's work. Blood rushed to her cheeks again, and she was grateful for Blaze's long locks. A slight dip of her head and she was obscured from view almost, protected from the lie she was living…

There was a whoosh as the doors slid open again and Blaze-as-Rogue entered. Marie found she didn't dare meet her own eyes as the body that Laura was confined to slumped into a random chair, infused with melancholy. Mournful eyes, bloodshot from lack of sleep and puffy from crying locked onto the 'couple' at the table. Jubilee and Shadowcat exchanged worried glances. If looks could kill Gambit and Blaze would have probably just gone up in smoke. But Storm was ready to begin and so both X-Men held their tongues. The only other team members present, Logan, Golan and Kurt remained manfully oblivious.

"This mutant's name is Splice." Storm began, bringing up a 3-D image in much the same way that Cyclops had with Genie. With the appearance of perhaps a nine-year-old girl and big green eyes Splice hardly looked hazardous. Wolverine opened his mouth to point this out when the image changed abruptly. Splice's eyes whirled, her skin wrinkled and sagged and she aged grossly. Manicured nails grew into twisted yellow claws and hair grew grey and knotted in seconds. Shadowcat voiced her disgust wordlessly at the image, a sentiment shared by the other X-Men.

"She's holding a local magistrate hostage and demanding a ransom for his release." Storm continued. "In the past she's had dealings with Mystique amongst others, and we know she will show no remorse if her demands are not met." Storm addressed Wolverine directly, eyes levelled at the father of her child. "Logan take Gambit, Blaze and Rogue. Without Cerebro's help we don't know if she has back-up or not but local law enforcement has not been able to deal with her."

"No problem." Logan nodded, pushing back his chair and cracking his neck. "We don't got all day lovebirds, c'mon. Rogue, you up for flyin' the jet?"

"Sure Logan." Blaze replied with Rogue's voice, rubbing her brow with the back of her hand. It took her a moment to conjure the strength to drag herself to her feet. Staggering heavily around her chair Blaze felt like she was drunk. Stumbling over her own tired feet she slipped, but strong arms fortunately caught her before she hit the deck. Her gloved hands ran down Gambit's arms as she steadied herself against him like it was the most natural thing in the world to do. Desperately she sought his fantastic eyes, looking for answers in his concerned, friendly gaze that she could not find in herself. But there was nothing there, no mirror for the swell of unnameable emotions that rose inside of her like bile.

"Rogue are you alright?" Storm asked kindly, helping Blaze back to her feet as the woman in Rogue's body struggled to break eye contact with Remy. "I may have made a mistake putting you forward for this mission…"

"I'm fine Ororo." The lost soul swore, stubbornly pushing past Remy and stomping off towards the hangar under the basketball court. "We'd better get goin'."

"Don't worry Stormy." Gambit gave Ororo a grin and a wink. "You let Gambit take care of Rogue."

"Oh yes?" Storm enquired with a sweet smile and a raised eyebrow. "And who exactly is going to look after you Gambit, when Blaze decides she can do without your brand of 'taking care' of Rogue?" But Gambit only laughed and was gone, jogging to catch up with his teammates.

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"Get the magistrate!" Wolverine bellowed as he charged, claws slicing through the back of his hands with a smooth sluicing noise.

"I t'ought we s'posed to be rescuin' him, not slicin' him up." Gambit quipped, charging a card and following Logan at a purposeful jog, both women behind him. Splice glanced up suddenly as they entered her den, a small storage shed under the red brick arch of a railway bridge in a backwater part of Chicago. Her eyes bulged as Wolverine heaved the tiny woman away from her hostage and flung her forcefully out of the door.

Blaze-as-Rogue went to untie the bound and gagged captive, taking his thanks with a pinch of salt as he rubbed his tender wrists. Some part of her felt that magistrates just weren't her kind of people. Taking his unlikely rescuer's advice, the magistrate made himself blissfully scarce.

"Hey Petite," Gambit began again as he and Rogue-as-Blaze stepped back outside, seeing that Storm had been overcautious in sending four X-Men. "Look like we found us a bad guy small enough for you to pick on."

Rogue didn't get the chance to come up with a reply to that. Splice scowled, leaping to her feet as Wolverine overshadowed her. Her skin wrinkled and her eyes sank as she lunged for Wolverine like an enraged Scottish wildcat. Logan hollered in pain as Splice sank her pointed teeth into the X-Man's arm, clawed at his uniform with those overgrown yellowed nails.

At the instant Wolverine hollered Splice jerked away suddenly, twisting and wrenching herself free. She wove between the bodies of the other X-Men lighting fast, heading back up the muddy gorge to the railway bridge. As the teammates watched the tiny woman leaped up off the ground, putting all her weight into wrenching open another two shed doors.

Deliberately Splice then turned back to the X-Men and smiled a toothy smile, blinking and scratching her patchy grey hair as though she had fleas. Gambit took a first step forward to recapture her, until another pair of blinking green eyes brought his feet to a halt. Another Splice, identical to the first in every way stepped out of the doorway to the right. Seconds later the door to the left also spat out a Splice duplicate and unexpectedly the X-Men weren't quite so sure of themselves.

"Okay, what's going on?" Rogue-as-Blaze asked as Gambit turned back to his teammates briefly. It was a mistake as he and Wolverine, also a few steps further forward from the girls, were overrun by hundreds of swarming Splices like biting bullet ants…


	9. 09

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**09**

Gambit grunted as the breath was knocked from his ribcage, forced to bend double by the weight of so many tiny mutants on his back kicking and screaming at him. More pinned his arms and hung onto his legs, biting and clawing at him. They were trying to bring him down through weight of numbers. He knew Logan was suffering the same, though his eyes were clenched shut against vicious poking fingers and carefully aimed spittle from the many attackers.

Clones, Rogue realised as the X-Men found themselves overrun. Splice's mutation was the ability to replicate herself exactly, and of course the replicates had the same ability. Splice didn't need help to defeat the X-Men, she had an army that thought and fought exactly as she did. Clones poured forth from the three railway arches whilst more launched themselves on the X-Men from above off the bridge itself, or charged down the gully's steep banks from the scrub to either side.

Gambit hunted in a pocket for a playing card, but even as he charged it he was pushed to his knees in the dirt. Vaguely he was aware of Rogue and Blaze fighting to stay upright amidst a swelling tide of grossly misshapen bodies. Card charged, somehow he managed to convince one of the not-so-bright clones to bite down on it and then flung himself face down on the floor. The explosion wasn't huge as he didn't want to injure himself, but it did blow enough of them away to let him roll out from under the pile of Splices and go to the woman he thought was his wife.

Whilst Gambit started heaving Splices away from Rogue-as-Blaze, Wolverine let out an almighty roar. His temper snapped and somehow Logan managed to wrench a Splice off of himself, swing her round as a weapon like a squawking mace to bash more of her fellows away. The minute his arms were free his infamous claws shot out, cutting through flesh and sinew. There were screams from the Splices as bodies flew, Logan fighting his way back to his teammates. Between them they set about creating an island in the sea of Splices.

Back to back they tried to keep their enemies at bay behind Gambit's rainbows of explosions. Wolverine's glittering claws were arching so fast through the air that they blurred. Blaze and Rogue, despite being in the wrong bodies kept their emotions well bottled as they professionally kicked, blocked and punched. But the X-Men were horrendously outnumbered and it would only be a matter of time before a single tired mistake let the horde of Splices tear them limb from limb.

"Blaze, you gotta toast us a way outta here!" Wolverine demanded between snatched breaths and powerful swipes of his claws. "There's too many of 'em!"

Bile rose in Rogue's stomach as Logan's order broke her out of her battle single-mindedness. Use Blaze's powers? Presumably she had them if she was no longer cursed with her own, though it hadn't occurred to her at all. Time had been that Blaze herself had not been able to control her mutation. Rogue was now forced to wonder how as a stranger to this flesh she had not been overwhelmed by the firepower. It could only be due to one thing, for not even Genie's tampering could have done this. Blaze was the Guardians of Fire, had undergone a mystical event along with six other X-Men the like of which Rogue had never witnessed elsewhere. Could this transfer of power have given Blaze control so that now Rogue couldn't even begin to summon the vaguest spark that dwelt in this body?

"Blaze c'mon!" Wolverine was insistent. Gambit gave up trying to blow apart a tide of bodies that had learned to move out of the way of a card like a shoal of fish evading a shark. Instead the Cajun pulled out his staff and set about trying to drive the Splices back that way.

"I can't! I'm sorry!" Rogue panted through Blaze's lips as twelve Splices grabbed hold of the opposite end of Gambit's sweeping silver staff.

"What d'you mean, you can't?" Logan bellowed over the cackling laughter as Gambit surrendered his precious staff rather than be dragged under the now thousands of gathered Splices. "You wanna leave your kid an orphan for the second time in her life?"

"Laura you know you can!" Gambit was insistent, not comprehending why Blaze was being so negative. It had been a long time since he'd heard her deny her abilities like that. "We don't got no choice Cherie!"

"You don't understand…" Rogue pleaded, turning Blaze's kitten eyes on Remy desperately. But even if she'd known how to explain it to him she didn't get the chance.

"For cryin' out loud!" Blaze-as-Rogue snapped, tearing off a glove and viciously grabbed the other woman by the jaw. Bare skin touched bare skin and suddenly Rogue was the victim of her own power, knowing what it was that made so many mutants terrified of her. She felt herself sucked dry, the capillary action of Blaze-as-Rogue's touch draining her energy, her memories and her stolen powers. All over Rogue-as-Blaze's soft skin swollen veins showed the flow of power as Laura just hung on.

For one instant the two women looked into their own eyes and the wrongness crackled like static on the air. Time seemed to stand still when one touch could mean so much more than love or trust. When one touch was the symbol of a purer emotion, combining anger, betrayal, jealousy and even hate. Neither woman could have said which one of them the emotions had reared up in, but like all the things of old that had made them friends; this raw grievance was now common to them both.

Broken and gasping for air after all hope was drawn out of her like infection from a wound, Rogue-as-Blaze crashed to her knees. Gambit cried out in French and went to her. Blaze-as-Rogue flung away the other glove vehemently. Logan's eyes widened as he watched the supposed Southern belle shimmer and become a spectre cast of fire.

Blaze didn't think twice about it. She didn't have to, her body or not her powers fitted like a piece of a jigsaw. Her power was a ribbon of warm passion, an aura of orange and red that danced behind her eyes. The fire blasts she threw made the air warp to a finely woven heat haze. With a dragon-like roar the inferno escaped her, destroying her enemies and leaving nothing standing of the hoards that had threatened to destroy them.


	10. 10

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**10**

The fire and the transfer of power to a body not its own lasted only a few moments. A transient torrent of golden beauty that destroyed Splice and her clones with no mercy. The air cooled and the light softened, the mystic warmth that had illuminated Blaze-as-Rogue's features faded as Laura sighed her abject disappointment.

"Gone…" The Southern accent betrayed Blaze-as-Rogue's emptiness, her pain even though she barely whispered the words. "I'm cold again…"

"What the hell you t'ink you doin' woman?" Gambit bawled up at the brunette as he knelt on the ground with Rogue-as-Blaze's body wrapped up in his arms. Rogue was just coming to, dazed and bewildered as she held Remy's hand.

"Why is it so cold?" Blaze-as-Rogue asked no one in particular. "I don't understand…"

Logan raised a hand to keep Gambit where he was, stop him from biting Rogue's head off. Hesitantly Wolverine took a step forward through the charred corpses that surrounded them. Reaching out to touch the brunette's shoulder he asked her name carefully, unsure of the response. "Rogue?"

Blaze-as-Rogue's head snapped up and she suddenly understood. Her voice was sure and decisive as she knocked Logan's hand away and met his eyes. "No, I'm not Rogue."

"She lost it!" Gambit was near hysterical, only the weight of his wife's prone body against him was keeping him staying where he was. "She turn on us!"

"If you're not Rogue, then who are you?" A soft English voice asked, making Gambit squeeze Rogue-as-Blaze tighter. Rogue pushed Blaze's body into a more upright position, shoving Gambit away not quite callously as she met her own body's eyes. Jaw set, she stubbornly dared Blaze to ruin this all.

But Blaze had never been one for backing off a challenge, especially not from any woman held by Gambit. As the 'couple' stood to face her, Blaze-as-Rogue maintained Rogue-as-Blaze's eye contact. Her voice was strained and somewhat desperate but she made sure every word was clear.

"You know who I am." Laura began, raising her chin obstinately. Marie couldn't help but shiver slightly at the anger and hatred that crackled between the two women. But Laura wasn't done. "How could you? How could you do this to me?"

"Blaze done nothin' to you, you attacked her!" Remy snapped, trying to step in front of Rogue-as-Blaze to shelter her from any further madness. Blaze-as-Rogue was having none of it, raised the volume of her scathing acknowledgement that the secret was out. Screaming she charged forward and pushed Rogue-as-Blaze backwards into the dust again. The Southern belle trapped in the English woman's body slipped and fell, rolling to land on her palms as Blaze-as-Rogue loomed over her.

"You stole my life! You were my friend Rogue, an' you stole my life!"

Gambit had had enough, lifting the brunette away from the prone body of the redhead by her upper arms. Roughly he shook the woman he thought was Rogue and flung her away. Blaze managed to stay on her feet, cursing Rogue like a sailor and ignoring Gambit. Wolverine looked on with a scowl on his face, growling. "Anyone else confused?"

"She lost it!" Gambit was adamant and obviously freaked out. Red-on-black eyes wide he kept himself as a human shield between the two women. But Blaze-as-Rogue just kept screaming at Rogue-as-Blaze. "Tell them! Tell them what you've done! Go on Rogue, I dare you!"

"I…" Rogue-as-Blaze stood slowly, looking from the real Blaze to Gambit and back again.

"Then answer this," Blaze-as-Rogue was thinking on her feet, circling Rogue and Gambit so she could maintain eye contact with the woman in her body. "What's Jessica's middle name?"

"What are you doin'? Leave her alone!" Gambit tried to interrupt and was ignored.

"No ideas? It's Lauren, but what about Remy's?" Blaze-as-Rogue's tone was nasty and spiteful, and her eyes were shining as she watched Rogue-as-Blaze squirm. She was too angry to think about anything but trying to hurt Marie like she'd near-destroyed Laura.

"She don't have to prove nothin', you know that stuff 'cause you touched her Rogue!" Gambit was getting desperate. He'd never seen Rogue look so dangerous…

"Then why can't she answer the question? Humour me at least!" This time it was Wolverine who tried to get Blaze-as-Rogue to back off, reaching out one more time to the brunette.

"Rogue drop it already! You touched her, you got her memories and her powers and its left her weak. Get over it before you show yourself up anymore."

"Then let her prove it! Tell us where you married Gambit! Tell us!" There seemed no end to the questioning, and both Gambit and Wolverine were out of ideas and their depth. Gambit turned to Rogue with apologies in his eyes. "Maybe you humour her Petite?"

"I…" Rogue began again, scanning her scattered memories for any clue to protest her innocence even if it was a lie. She just couldn't give this up! Not Gambit, not Jessica, not the miracle of touch! "Um… Paris of course…"

"What?" Gambit gasped, searching Rogue-as-Blaze's brown eyes and gaping like a fish. Something was very wrong here… "Chere, you know that ain't right."

"But I…" Rogue-as-Blaze protested. Blaze-as-Rogue spoke again, voice smugly sarcastic over the rawness of her broken heart. "Tell her Rem, tell you 'wife' where you married her!"

Gambit didn't pick up on the fact that the woman he thought was Rogue was calling him by an abbreviation of his name Blaze had dreamt up. He hardly acknowledged that anyone else was there. He only looked at his 'wife' and filled her in, broken and afraid. "Ireland, where you was born… Chere how could you not…"

"Because she wasn't there" Blaze-as-Rogue spoke quietly, hurt rife in her words. "Because she ain't your wife." Finally Gambit turned to look at the woman in Rogue's body. It seemed she was the only one going to offer him any kind of explanation. Swallowing, Laura met her husband's eyes, losing herself in his gaze as she always did. He stuttered, trying to form questions when his whole world was so confused. "What? How? Why?"

"I don't know, I don't understand how she's done it…" It was too much for Blaze to bear, seeing the pain she felt mirrored in him. The anger dissipated and she could only sob his name. "Remy…"

Gambit turned from one woman to the other. From Blaze-as-Rogue's eyes that met his with such pain and eager love, to Rogue-as-Blaze's, lost and turned inwards as if they held some terrible knowledge. His voice too nearly broke into sobs as he spoke to the soul in Blaze's body. "What have you done?" Knowing that wasn't the worst of it all, he turned back to Rogue's body, to Laura. He could only whisper his question, knowing now his betrayal. "What have I done?"

"Now just hold on here one minute." Logan interrupted. He looked straight at Blaze-as-Rogue, and tried to get his head around the situation. "You're tellin' me that you're Blaze, and Blaze is Rogue?"

Nobody answered Wolverine. Rogue turned Blaze's face away and wept. It was over, all over. Gambit left her where she was, taking a small step of faith and trust towards the brunette. Could she ever forgive him? "Laura I…"

Blaze shook her head slowly, backing away as a fresh horror dawned on her. Gambit stopped in his tracks, hurt and unsure. Tears ran headlong down Blaze-as-Rogue's cheeks, as Laura suddenly knew the depths of this curse. Sobs came thick and fast as she tried to explain. "Remy…I can't touch you… I can't touch you…"

"Oh Laura…" Gambit went to her anyway, pulling Rogue's body to him. "I'se so sorry Petite, I didn't know, I couldn't tell…"

"I don't wanna hurt you…" Laura sobbed, staring up into Remy's eyes.

"You wont hurt me." He swore, hanging on to her with all his strength, kissing her passionately with all his heart…


	11. 11

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**11**

"Ahem," A familiar distinguished voice interrupted Rogue's heartbreak as she watched Gambit kiss her body with no fear and so much love. "Its not polite to stare my dear…"

"You!" Rogue snapped, turning aggressively on Genie with a raised fist. Palming her off with a smile, the telepath merely uttered one small word and saved himself from a beating.

"Freeze." Rogue-as-Blaze froze, as did Blaze-as-Rogue, Gambit and Wolverine. The others became statues, unblinking as once Professor Xavier had been able to make people. Rogue-as-Blaze simply could not feel the body below her neck, but could still turn her head to keep an eye on the others. She was glad to see Blaze-as-Rogue and Gambit had just ended their contact, had no idea what prolonged exposure to her vampire-power would do to the Cajun if they had been frozen mid-kiss.

"That's better." Genie seemed genuinely pleased with his work, eyes sparkling as he rubbed his palms together. "Now then, it appears like our Cajun friend was right. That woman could almost have been written for him, wouldn't you say? Hum?"

"I guess…" Rogue growled, making Genie nod even more.

"Of course through your powers, and that rather lovely kiss, she now knows him inside out. I wonder if she would thank you for that if I woke her now?"

"No, don't." Rogue was quick to stop him. "Whatever you want from the X-Men, I'll see you get it…"

"The X-Men? Oh no my dear," Genie smiled at her warmly. "I don't want anything from any of you. All this," He waved his arm around generously, "Was for your benefit, and yours alone. You wished for it."

"I only wished to touch, not to have Blaze's body, Blaze's life…"

"I agree you only verbally uttered the paraphrase to allow me to aid you to touch." Genie nodded as he spoke, still smiling. "But I am a telepath my dear. I respond to the desires of the heart and mind as much as the words you uttered." He took a flamboyant low bow. "I am your perfect, indulgent servant. Now have you enjoyed yourself?"

"I guess, up 'til now…" Rogue stuttered, struggling to keep up with the mutant.

"Time to go home then perhaps? Back to your own body?"

"Will anyone remember this?" Rogue asked sharply, making Genie meet her stolen eyes. "Will they remember?"

"I can arrange it so that your friends do not appreciate what has gone amiss." Genie nodded. "They wont remember a thing, my dear Rogue. But you will."

"Then how do I know any of this even happened?" Rogue asked rhetorically, "That any of this was real?"

"Ah, how do any of us know that something in which only we find a truth, an attachment, was ever real? Something perhaps you should discuss with your blue elfin friend?" Genie smiled indulgently at her and then shook his head like a horse. "Yet I am afraid it will not be something that you have overly to worry about. When I say they wont remember anything, it isn't that they will forget everything either. The connection you have forged with Blaze and Gambit through this is a powerful one…"

"She'll still hate me, though she wont know why." Rogue filled in the gaps, closing her eyes slightly.

"And he will always look at you sideways and half remember what it was like to kiss you. The first man you were truly intimate with, am I right? That's not the kind of bond a telepath can break, and not something his wife was ever able to offer him." Genie shrugged, still smiling. "Being the 'other woman' perhaps more of a trial than you would have thought? Its certainly more than I would have thought, not that I know much of these things. But enough of this chitchat, you appear to have learned your lesson and that is all I ask. Back you go!"

"Wait, what lesson?" Rogue cried as the world blurred around her and everything went dark and echoey.

"To beware the green eyed monsters of course!" Genie's laughter followed her into the oblivion. "Or perhaps to be more careful what you wish for!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rogue woke with a start and flung herself out of bed, flying to the mirror. She had never been more exuberant to see her reflection peering back at her. She shouted out "Yes!" at the top of her lungs and leaped two feet off the ground. She couldn't stop laughing at Storm when the concerned weather-witch banged on the door to ask if she was all right. Catching some of Rogue's giddiness, Storm resolutely banned the younger woman from caffeine and left her to it.

Never had Rogue been so relieved to pull on her gloves and coil a chiffon scarf around her neck. She left the room skipping, making her pupils giggle as she pushed past them on the stairs. At the foot of the staircase a young redhead looked up at the commotion, and then elbowed her Dad in the ribs to get his attention.

"Lookin' good Rogue…" Gambit sounded vaguely bemused as he returned Rogue's smile with a grin of his own.

"Thanks Swamp Rat." Rogue returned, giving him the benefit of a playful twirl on the third step from the bottom. "Shame the same can't be said for you. Jessie, how are you doin' for dresses an' stuff at the minute? Only I've seen the cutest Japanese one at the mall, an' with your birthday comin' up…"

"Are you kiddin'?" Jessie exclaimed gleefully, "Sounds great! Can I come with you to get it?"

"Absolutely Sugah. If its alright with your dad?"

"Go for it." Gambit encouraged, raising his hands in surrender and grinning. "Spend as much of Rogue's money as you want Jess. First time she ever offered to buy anyone anythin'."

"Yessir!" Jessie giggled, standing to attention and giving Gambit a cheery salute.

"Hey look who I found wandering around downstairs like he's forgotten he lives here!" Blaze's English voice called across the hall from the lift that served the lower levels. She sounded amused, yet still Rogue could hardly dare to meet the other woman's eyes. Her worry was proved well founded as Blaze's eyes darkened and her cheeriness seemed more strained under Rogue's scrutiny.

"How could I forget I live here with you mad lot?" Bobby Drake countered his friend, "Long lost kids, spontaneous eloping, you're hardly easy to forget… Don't glare at me Gambit I've missed out gettin' my digs in so far, okay?"

Blaze laughed, unhooking herself from Bobby's arm and going to scoot her family outside. Jessica ran on ahead whilst Gambit let himself be led, glancing back over his shoulder with a grin to get a dig in of his own.

"It better than bein' too easily forgettable! Who the hell are you again?" Gambit winked at Rogue making her smile, and the le Beau family was gone.

Alone with Bobby, Rogue suddenly realised how much she'd missed him. How different would things with Genie have been if her best friend had been here? Would she have gone to her confident and asked him for help? More than likely, she thought as she met Bobby's smiling ice-blue eyes and tried to think of something to say to him.

"Don't say anything Rogue." Bobby urged her, giddy as a schoolboy at the end of term. "I want you to have this first. You are not going to believe this!"

He held out a band cast of steel-coloured metal, buzzing as though it contained some mechanical or electrical parts. It was about a finger's width wide and shaped like a collar to fasten around her neck. When Rogue only looked at the device in mild confusion Bobby shook his head and adjusted his hold on the implement. Deftly he snapped it closed around Rogue's throat, watched for any change in her manner. She still looked confused.

"I found it Rogue!" Iceman enthused again, taking her hand in his and pulling her close to him. "I found the cure!"

She still didn't understand, not until he kissed her, and then she thought her heart might burst…


	12. 12

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.

**12**

**Epilogue**

**Eight months later…**

The sun shone lazily down on the little house with its long front porch and its freshly painted white picket fence, wrapping it in golden honeydew. It was the only house on this country lane, out beyond Westchester and the school known as Xavier's. Secluded, private and safe, a world all of its own. The lawn was mowed in careful stripes, the name of the cottage painted carefully on the white gate. They'd named it 'Haven'.

The woman knelt on the grass wore gloves for one reason alone. The roses she pruned were savage ones; she already had the stab marks to prove it. Singing to herself Rogue dropped the shears to the grass besides her and brushed her hair out of her face with the back of one glove. It was getting late; they'd all be here soon…

"Damn it! I'm just not cut out for starting fires." Bobby was laughing despite himself, rubbing charcoal from his fingers over his forehead as he scratched his brow in perplexity. Rogue laughed too. He'd been messing with that barbeque all afternoon, stacking and restacking the coals, pouring on fuel. Still he'd had no luck getting the thing going. At this rate nothing would be ready.

The roar of a car engine dragged Rogue's eyes down the lane to see who was coming, as absently she tugged off her gloves and ran a finger over her power-negating collar. A small stampede surged out of the house and past her onto the lane and Bobby called out to be careful.

"Who'd you reckon it is?" She asked, raising a hand to block out the setting sun as she looked at him.

"Driving like that, its Blaze or Logan." He replied, stretching languishingly. "Either will do, both can get this thing started better than I can. Kids will you watch out, that car's dangerous…"

Two of the three children turned and glanced back at their mentor in acknowledgement. The third, a teenage boy called Leon, was too busy jumping up and down on the spot as he recognised his friend Jessica in the approaching car. They were three special cases, three mutant children so disturbed by a combination of their radical powers and their pasts that they just couldn't fit in, even at the Xavier School.

There had been plans going back decades now to when Xavier first opened his doors, to have somewhere like this. A sanctuary, a secret retreat for a small number of children who needed more individual attention. There had never been too much call for it before, or anyone to run it. Now there were both and Rogue had never been busier. A month after she and Bobby had moved in, as many of her friends as could be spared at the school were on their way for a housewarming barbeque. The children were happy, had made progress in leaps and bounds. And finally she and Bobby were actually engaged.

"Eugh! I'm carsick! Seriously!" Jessica lurched out of her mother's convertible clutching her stomach comically, clearly acting. "Mom, you drive like a maniac!"

"Thought you'd be used to it by now." Blaze responded with a smile, ruffling Jessie's hair. "Need a hand with that fire Bobby?" Iceman didn't even get chance to nod as the charcoal burst into exuberant flames a foot and a half high.

"Very funny Laura…" Bobby chipped, "If my eyebrows are singed…"

"It'll be an improvement!" Blaze replied, going to Bobby's side at the barbeque to take over the cooking.

"Nah didn't get to bring Scruffy. Dad reckoned he'd probably go straight inside and poop on the new carpet." Jessica shrugged as Leon laughed silently. He couldn't speak; part of his serpent-like mutation that gave him hinged fangs and venom that could kill a man. The younger kids at Haven Cottage very much followed his lead, and he adored the attention almost as much as he adored Jessica. Gambit shot his daughter a grin, wedging his hands in his jeans pockets as Rogue turned to him.

"You like it?" She asked shyly, wondering why she cared so much about getting the approval of the X-Men for Haven. Gambit nodded sincerely, before he replied. "It too quiet though. An' how you gonna manage wit' no basketball court?"

"Oh I think we'll get by." Rogue giggled. "Not tempted you and Blaze to follow our example?"

"Non, merci." Gambit rolled his eyes. "Not our scene. Besides, don't go telling Wolverine but we kinda like the live-in babysitters…"

"Ain't Jess gettin' a bit old for needin' a sitter? Especially up at the school, doesn't she dorm with the other girls?" Rogue met Gambit's eyes with mild confusion, bewildered by the sly smile on his face. "Remy, what aren't you tellin' me?"

"Nothin'…" He shrugged, looking over to meet Blaze's eyes. The redhead shook her pretty head at him and smiled. "What's to eat, I'm starved…" The Cajun wandered off, leaving Rogue no less bewildered. Unless…

"Hey Raven, do you know what's up with your folks?" Rogue asked the child conspiratively, as Leon and Rogue's other young charges went running off to collect his new bike to show.

"Yep," Jessica nodded definitely, "But I'm sworn to secrecy."

"Why?" Rogue wanted to know, acknowledging Bobby beckoning her over to the adults with a wave of her hand. Gambit was dishing up three beers, whilst Bobby iced them and Blaze, with lemonade, examined what needed cooking.

"'Cause its your big day, yours and Bobby's." Jessica shrugged. "Showin' the cottage off and everythin'. Dad didn't wanna upstage you."

"Upstage me?" She'd gotten a house, gotten engaged, practically adopted three kids and finally worked out a way around her powers. How could Gambit possibly upstage her? But Jessie was gone, cooing jealously over Leon's pedal bike just a little too loudly, prompting her parents to make a joint pre-emptive "No." in her direction. At their combined effort, Blaze and Gambit met each other's eyes laughing. Bobby left them to their less than appropriate kiss and came down to Rogue's side.

"I know something you don't know…" Bobby whispered in her ear, warm breath tickling her skin before he kissed it. Rogue wrapped his arms around her possessively, craning her neck to encourage the soft touch of his lips as she asked "What?"

"That I love you." Bobby teased, giggling as she rolled her eyes. "I knew that, stupid!" Marie insisted. "What's up with them? Jessie said they wont say 'cause Gambit doesn't want to upstage me or something?"

"Ah well, it's a good job Blaze isn't bothered then, though I think Gambit would let her get away with anything about now…" Bobby knew he was winding Rogue up by being cryptic, and he was enjoying every second.

"That's nothin' new." Rogue countered, "Tell me Bobby, or you're sleepin' on the porch tonight…" He raised an eyebrow at her, just a small reminder to amend her threat. "Alone, Bobby Drake. Out here alone."

"Okay." Bobby kissed her, blue eyes still sparkling. "But you gotta keep it a secret. Blaze is pregnant again…"

"Oh." Rogue gasped, meeting Gambit's eyes without meaning to and letting on instantly that she knew. Remy said something hastily to Laura, who shrugged and smiled sweetly.

"Rogue?" Bobby asked huskily, dragging her eyes away from the Cajun and back to his. "Do you ever want kids? Not right now I mean, obviously, but perhaps someday?"

Rogue just gaped at him. What a question! Eight months ago she hadn't been able to even remember what it was like to touch someone and not have them afraid… But then again a lot had happened in the last eight months. And she would be lying if she said she'd never dreamed about it…

The Southern belle shook her head playfully, pushing Bobby back towards their friends. "Hey I got enough problems around here lookin' after you, Bobby Drake. Ask me again when I got you housetrained, okay love?" Bobby only laughed with her, and agreed to that deal.

Not long after more cars arrived, and the extended family sat on the lawn or on deck chairs under the subtle sunset. Laughter was the music they created, from the giggles of the children that molested Rogue's prized roses, to the paternal chortles of Logan, Remy and Scott. With Bobby's arm draped around her bare shoulders, in front of the little house she'd always dreamed of, Rogue was contented. What was there left that she could ever want from life? She couldn't think of anything as Gambit winked suggestively at her from across the table and Bobby kissed her cheek. She was home.

#The End#


End file.
